🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates Preamble The author is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Real-Time Updates Formation Lap Period The warm-up lap has started. Circuit Details There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator informs us. Countdown The final countdown is underway. Driver Situation An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Racer Statements "We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Constructors' Championship It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Past Performance Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Alright, just over 20 minutes to go until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago. Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.